Embracing their smooth operator yearnings:
An unconventional interview with Gabriel Andruzzi and Mattie Safer of The Rapture

0-East, Shibuya, Tokyo
Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

By: Michael Lara


"You think I'd leave your side baby? You know me better than that." The perennial deep punctuation by Sade, arguably one of Nigeria's finest exports ever, may not be an artist whom you would intimately associate to The Rapture, but now shall. Before their first of two Shibuya gigs, Gabriel Andruzzi (saxophone, keys, percussion) and Mattie Safer (bass, keys, vocals) get into and sail these 15-minutes seas resplendently, elaborating upon their two tickets to paradise from our grab bag of sorts:



Mattie: Does this involve magic (smirking)?

No, but with what's inside, I'd like for you both to elaborate on each item and the questions will roll from there.

Gabriel: Alright (looking a bit uneasily at Mattie)
Mattie: "Embracing Defeat, Japan in the Wake of World War II."

Have you read this by chance?

Mattie: No, I can say I haven't read this book.

Well, what defeat have you all embraced?

Gabriel: I'm undefeated (instantaneously beaming).
Mattie: Yeah, I don't think we've ever been defeated. We've had our share of difficulties, but I feel that we have always persevered before we lost.

What about in this last album, what do you feel you embraced differently?

Mattie: We embraced each other in a new way and really made sure that we were engaging with each other in the best way that we could, you know, as opposed to endlessly arguing points and being defeatists.

The next item is undeveloped film. You are now in a spot to collaborate with almost whomever you like to, like touring with Daft Punk. Who would you like to collaborate with and how?

Gabriel: Um.... I'd like to make a movie (looking at Mattie).
Mattie: Yeah, It'd be nice to make a movie.

What would be the genre or topic?

Mattie: Well, I think for lack of a better word for it, like you know, rock and roll movie. It used to be almost obligatory, you know in the 1960's when you were in a band, you'd make like a sort of light comedy that somehow involves the band running around, often it involves being a band on tour.

So "A Hard Day's Night?"

Mattie: Well yeah, I mean, a lot of other people made them too, to varying degrees of success. I guess Elvis made a lot of them.

Who would be the director?

Gabriel: Probably um... Ben Dickinson-The guy who's directed our last two videos., because we've been talking to him about doing this for awhile (both laughing).

So this plan has already been hatched?

Mattie: Yes, this plan is developing (eyes alive).
Gabriel:But we're not in a position to convince anybody as of money into developing this so...
Mattie: (Reaching into the grab bag again and feeling around) Hmmm... What's this? Ah...
Gabriel: Door handle...
Mattie: Doorknob

So, if this could open anywhere, what door would you want that to open to, where and why?

Gabriel: Ah man, there are so many awesome doors, places...
Mattie: Maybe like a door on Sade's boat. Like I'm in the bathroom of Sade's boat and I'm coming out of the bathroom or I guess here or wherever I stick this into and you know. I picture she has a nice yacht. Not too ostentatious, a subdued yacht. You know, a piano involved.

Duran Duran wouldn't be involved right?

Gabriel: No, no, no...
Mattie: It would be just like, you know she'd sing a little bit for the guests, but not like a performance.
Gabriel: I'd actually like it to open the door to a time machine because that's actually like useful on a daily basis really.
Mattie: Well, a time and space machine because if you had just a time machine, you'd just end up in the same place.
Gabriel: Well, you know, that's what I mean. They're one in the same.

But which Sade? Current period or...

Mattie: Well, I'd like to go back to 1980s Sade.
Gabriel: "Smooth Operator" (said in stereo) days.
Mattie: I mean... I'm sure she'd be a lovely woman to hang out on her yacht now.
Gabriel: Still makes wonderful music.
Mattie: Yeah, still makes wonderful music (both nodding).

Well, maybe you can put her in your movie, too.

Gabriel: That'd be great - Sade and her boat in our movie.
Mattie: Yeah.
Gabriel: (Reaching around in the grab bag) Some sort of fabric.

Yes, an apron. So if you were to have a feast -

Gabriel: Mmmm... Feast.

What would be on the menu and who would be cooking?

Mattie: Ah, as long as we don't have to cook, that's much better.
Gabriel: Yeah, it's best that we don't cook.
Mattie: Although Luke actually, I haven't eaten much of his cooking, but he does cook quite a bit though and so does Vito, but let's get someone good.
Gabriel: Luke makes weird burgers (both chuckling). I wanna go for a nice Korean feast personally, Korean barbeque.

And the beverages of choice?

Gabriel: Anything fruity and shaky.

And the venue?

Mattie: Sade's boat (eyebrows way up).
Gabriel: I'm thinking The White House (casually delivered).
Mattie: The White House, yeah okay, a State dinner (eyes wide).
Gabriel: Are we gonna pull out all of these?

(Reaches into bag) Ah, yes, classic Japanese here, you guys keep this.

Gabriel: Hmmm... Is this food or soap? (soon all laughing)
Mattie: "Beauty gives you superpowers."
Gabriel: Actually, this is very useful on tour.
Mattie: Yeah it is.

Speaking of superpowers, which superpowers would you want?

Mattie: I always like invisibility, but that's because I really don't want superpowers that give you the responsibility to save the world. I'm kind of selfish. I kind of just want to be able to sneak around (smirking).
Gabriel: Interesting because I would take the ability to travel through time and space.
Mattie: Gabe's got a one-track mind, but instead of sex, it's time travel.

But Sade is still getting in there though somewhere.

Gabriel: Yep, I can teleport her and Sade's boat.
Mattie: Yeah, you can bring her along. I imagine that if you offer Sade the ability to travel through time with you, that might be the way to win her heart.

So are you going to do a Sade cover tonight or tomorrow?

Gabriel: Probably never. To be able to do a Sade song, you got to able to sing it like Sade. I just wanna hear Sade. I had to hear him or Luke sing a Sade song... That'd ruin all my wonderful Sade fantasies.

Think you guys are almost there.

Mattie: Feels like it (reaching around inside the bag for the last item).
Gabriel: "Crossing The Bridge, The Sound of Istanbul." A place we get to go this summer (eyes alive).
Mattie: Yep, we're going to Istanbul.
Gabriel: Yeah, I am so happy about that.

So, in reference to this movie, what bridge would you like to cross next or build?

Mattie: I would like to...
Gabriel: I like to burn bridges (grinning).
Mattie: I would like to build a bridge between us and Justin Timberlake fans. I want us to do Timberlake numbers.

What about between your albums?

Mattie: I hope to build a shorter bridge (in stereo, looking at each other)
Gabriel: I hope it's just like a crosswalk.

 

 

 

www.myspace.com/therapture
www.therapturemusic.com

 

 


All opinions expressed by Michael Lara are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of Stay Thirsty Media, Inc.

 

 


 

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